Standard kit levels are good, and include features like cruise control and heated door mirrors

Legroom in the back is adequate, as long as the front occupants aren’t too tall

The head restraints are neatly designed, and very comfortable too

Dials look novel and you can choose the colour of their backlighting

Boot is spacious enough, but the folded-down seat backs stick up somewhat

The 2.0-litre diesel motor is an able and willing partner

For all the engine’s eagerness, its note is a little too coarse and loud

The higher powered 1.6 diesel accounts for the most sales

Stopping performance is pretty good, but the C4 needs a more progressive brake pedal

The softly suspended C4 has a comfy low-speed ride but poor body control elsewhere

The steering is very light and fails to weight up or give any sense of feedback

The new Citroën C4 is an admirable car, but there is an abundance of much better rivals

Close

The family line that has led to this Citroën C4 dates back to the ZX in 1991. It provided spirited performance and quite exceptionally lively handling, even in the unsporting versions.

This good work was undone in 1997 by the terminally dull Xsara, which soldiered on with the support of a series of pricing initiatives until it was replaced by the first C4 in 2006. The fact that Citroën replaced it only four years later shows the pace of change in this most competitive class of the market.

The C4 range comprises two diesel and two petrol engines, arranged over three different trim levels. The mainstay of the range will be one of the 1.6-litre diesels, which are available in 99 or 118bhp versions. However, the punchy turbocharged petrols are worthy of consideration for those opting to use their C4 on shorter journeys.

While the gauntlet has been laid, it is now time to see if the C4 can come up trumps in the Autocar road test.